Dan Bailey: Candidate Profile

Note: Answers provided have not been edited for grammar, misspellings or typos. In some instances, candidate claims that could not be immediately verified have been omitted. Jump to:BioKey IssuesQA Bio City: WheatonWebsite: http://www.danbailey.org/Office sought: DuPage County board District 4Age: 59Family: Married, 3 children, 2 grandchildrenOccupation: Registered Nurse at a local free clinic currently. Previously, 3 decades as a locomotive engineer.Education: Associates in General Studies COD 1993 Associates in Nursing COD 2008Civic involvement: Volunteer repeatedly with the Independent Voters of Illinois Independent Precinct Organization in Chicago's Little Village Neighborhood since 1983 Democratic Precinct Committeeman Milton precinct 64 in Wheaton since 1988 Volunteer with the Chicagoland Transportation and Air Quality Commission in the 1990's Chicago Area Committee on Occupational Safety and Health board member and volunteerElected offices held: Various local union offices including: Division President, Treasurer, and Legislative Representative for the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers. 1st Vice President of District 19 of the Illinois Nurses Association Democratic Precinct Committeeman In Milton Pct 64 since 1992Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Gov't efficiency/transparency The county chair and board oversee several agencies that have misspent, lost or inappropriately spent significant sums of money. For example the DuPage Water Commission at $69 million, and the DuPage Housing Authority at $5.1 million.I question the management of the airport authority as it presides over only one industry in its huge 600 acre industrial park. There is a serious question within the county board itself.Have board members with such performance earned their high pay and benefits'Key Issue 2 Increase the emphasis on direct services. Over the past several years, the county has maintained financial emphasis on salaries for elected officials.We need an increasedlevel of financial support for direct service employees and social service agencies that provide direct assistance to citizens.Times are tough for all of our constituents.Now is not the time to decrease support for our social safety net.If elected, I will work to increase emphasis on direct services.Key Issue 3 Transportation, Development, and Urban Planning is a long range issue. Our suburban county is spread out resulting in very inefficient transportation that requires residents to drive to most of the places they want and need to go.As gas prices continue to rise, and if we continue to rely almost entirely on cars rather than public transportation, we will reach a point when middle class families will no longer be able to afford to live in Dupage.For example, driving 25 to 50 miles to work and then 15 to school and errands daily will be come too expensive, too time consuming and too harmful for our environment.We need sufficiently clean air, water and land to live. We need to find practical public transportation, enable bicycling and plan our cities so that they provide what we need and want close to where we live.Questions Answers Why are you running for this office, whether for re-election or election for the first time? Is there a particular issue that motivates you? If so, what?Because I am and have had contact with hard working Americans and can better represent them on the county board. See below and above. I am motivated particularly by the needs of our contituents who are under-represented in our current system. I work in a clinic that serves Dupage County residents without health insurance, without a 6 figure salary, and without a voice in this County.Poverty in DuPage has increased by over 185% over the last 20 years.Candace King of the Foundation of Human Services said 'It is exploding.' Many of our neighbors, unexpectedly find themselves in this position for the first time of their lives.By helping this population, we all can succeed. We all can benefit from public transportation, the beauty and convenience of increased bike trails, and financial transparency.If you are an incumbent, describe your main contributions. Tell us of any important initiatives you've led. If you are a challenger, what would you bring to the board and what would your priority be?I understand issues of working people, poor and sick.I've been a front line worker in factories and railroads for decades. Now I am employed as a registered nurse in a free clinic and see in our increased numbers of patients the results of decreased resources. One of my goals would be to address and maintain our social safety net.I had been active in the Chicagoland Transportation and Air Quality Commission for over 8 years advocating improved and coordinated transit and urban planning .I learned our suburbs are based on an assumption of ever increasing economic growth and cheap gasoline.Growth has slowed. Gas prices have risen and will continue long term.Right now, Chicagoland is expecting the largest gas price increases ever. These changes will challenge the economic viability of the suburban model.We need to admit and address these issues.Another goal would be to provide increased transportation access for all from children to seniorsHow can the county best manage its growth, growing diversity?The character of DuPage has changed over my life from rural/suburban to more urban. Encouraging urban planning to concentrate redevelopment near transportation corridors and hubs like commuter rails, downtown areas and some shopping centers would economize, save resources, and improve our quality of life. The diversity should be welcomed but may bring more challenges.The county government should lead by example by ensuring equal access to employment opportunity, services and access to courts for all regardless of race, language or culture.If incumbent, are you satisied your attendance at county board/committee meetings has been adequate? Describe the rough percentage of meetings you've attended. If non-incumbent, are you aware of the incumbent's attandance record and is it adequate?I will make this a priority and pride myself in my ability to meet my commitments. The constituents pay Board Members to attend meetings. I know that my constituents will judge me on my attendance record; I want to make the citizens of Dupage County proud of our local representation.Here is the overview of attendance:R. McBride (R-Glen Ellyn) missed more meetings than anyone -- 40 board and committee sessions -- but he has had serious health concerns over the last 11 years. . Grant Eckoff (R Wheaton) missed fewer than 10 board and committee meetings.What is your stance on county board members' pay? Too high, too low, just right? Would you propose any changes' Do you think county board members should receive pensions' If not, would be willing to pledge not to take one?The pay is about equivalent to full time pay for a lot of our constituents.It seems that the county board members and some other elected officials are treated far better with better salaries and benefits than the county employees who provide direct services to constituents full time. I would urge that the county board members be paid and have benefits under similar rules and scales as direct service employees of the county. If elected I will take my county salary but continue to work for the free clinic part time as a volunteer. I pledge to forgo any pension benefits until I serve enough time to earn them the same way that a clerk or other front line county worker would.